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Home > Engineering faculty, students mobilize to help COVID-19 efforts

Engineering faculty, students mobilize to help COVID-19 efforts

As the coronavirus continues to sicken millions of people across the United States and the world, Berkeley researchers and students are contributing their time and expertise to combat the outbreak. 

From providing real-time localized information on infections to more efficiently resterilizing N95 masks, the engineering community is focusing on ways to inform the public and aid beleaguered healthcare workers facing critical shortages of medical supplies. 

3D rendering of COVID-19 virus particles.

Researchers devise a new way to detect and quantify SARS-CoV-2 in pooled samples

Technique is more sensitive than standard PCR tests in large sample volumes and can be adapted to emerging COVID-19 variants
Stockton high school students assemble fan-based air filters under the guidance of CEE students

Civil engineers partner with Stockton students to build 120 air purifiers

In honor of Earth Day, students from professor Tina Chow’s CE 105 class joined with Edison High School to build and distribute air purifiers to the south Stockton community
Wastewater treatment plant

Q+A on wastewater testing

Using a novel method to detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus, researchers worked with public agencies to monitor infection levels in local wastewater samples.
CHart showing SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater in Contra Costa County

Bay Area wastewater data suggests COVID hasn’t peaked everywhere

SFGate: While indicators suggest COVID-19 cases are on the decline across the Bay Area, wastewater analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 at Berkeley Engineering professor Kara Nelson’s lab suggests that three areas of the region may have yet to peak.
microscope image of "spike-liposome" technique

Could liposomes be the unsung heroes of the pandemic?

Berkeley News: Berkeley engineers attached SARS-CoV-2 “spike” proteins to the surface of liposomes, creating lab-made mimics of the deadly virus as part of a process to enable efficient testing of antibody therapies.
Jacobs Institute Project Support

Berkeley engineers win Extraordinary Teaching in Extraordinary Times Awards

Nine engineering teaching groups were honored for innovations in remote instruction
Exploded view of N95 mask, and assembled prototype modeled by undergrad researcher Jason Duckering

Anti-COVID mask breaks the mold

Scientists from Berkeley Engineering and Berkeley Lab have designed a rechargeable N95 mask with a custom fit
Illustration of cellphone checking for coronavirus RNA

CRISPR-based COVID-19 test uses smartphone cameras

New diagnostic test, with accurate results in under 30 minutes, developed by scientists at Berkeley (including bioengineer Daniel Fletcher) and Gladstone Institutes
Graphic of Lucira coronavirus test device and 4-step instructions

Home coronavirus test springs from Berkeley Engineering roots

First FDA-approved, rapid test for home use was developed by Lucira Health, founded by bioengineering Ph.D. graduates Debkishore Mitra and John Waldeisen
Graphic with images of coronavirus superimposed over map of COVID-19 hot spots in the U.S.

Berkeley Engineering takes on COVID-19

In response to the pandemic, engineers at Berkeley pivoted their research to help test, treat and heal a growing number of patients.
UC Berkeley workers remove a wastewater autosampler from a sewer drain

Tracking COVID-19 in our sewers

Berkeley civil engineers have developed a rapid, low-cost and effective method to test for the presence of the coronavirus in wastewater flowing through municipal sewer systems
Illustration of masked community members

Fung Institute responds to COVID-19

How various members of the Fung Institute community take initiative to support COVID-19 response
Grace O'Connell with a sleep apnea machine converted to a ventilator for COVID-19

Berkeley team creates respiratory devices from sleep apnea machines

Resourceful and affordable, about 600 apparatuses from Grace O’Connell’s lab head to Ecuador this month
Wastewater treatment plant at night

Monitoring COVID-19 prevalence in municipal wastewater

Samples from a single collection station can reveal clues to how the SARS-CoV-2 virus is circulating in communities
Gerbrand Ceder, Teresa Head-Gordon, Jennifer Listgarten, Alberto Sangiovanni-Vincentelli

Four Berkeley engineers receive awards for COVID-19 research

C3.ai Digital Transformation Institute announces new funding for projects
Four lead researchers with masks standing outside.

Putting coronavirus antibody tests to the test

Berkeley bioengineer Patrick Hsu and colleagues at UCSF found flaws in many of the 14 serology tests evaluated.
Rebecca Abergel

Researchers lead federal efforts to improve COVID-19 testing

Rebecca Abergel, Paul Adams, and Adam Arkin are overseeing projects designed to boost coronavirus diagnostic technology
Smartphone with tall buildings in the background

Fighting back against coronavirus misinformation

Hany Farid is conducting a major survey of people to see how much they believe conspiracies about COVID-19
wordmark

Cal Students Launch Resource 19 to Connect Creators with Hospitals in Need

New initiative helps designers, engineers and makers explore open-source plans for medical supplies needed by those on the frontlines of the COVID19 pandemic
Rendering of blower unit

Low-cost, readily deployable respirators could help frontline healthcare workers

Engineers develop powered air-purifying respirators that can be rapidly manufactured using widely available components

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